OK Order Carnivora

Family Canidae

5 species. Digits. 5(4)-4, digitigrade. Teeth: 3/3,1/1, 4/4,2/3. Prominent carnassial pair, last molar flat and transverse. Skull. Long rostrum. Alisphenoid canal present.

Hind tracks a little bigger, than front.

Generalists, w/ preference for small mammals. Most species mate in late winter (Jan-Mar), 5-10 pups in early spring after ~60 day gestation. Solitary, besides coyotes. Both parents raise young. Sexual mature by late autumn 9-12 months, when they usually disperse.

Family Canidae

Coyote: Black tipped tail. Pointed ears. Grayish-brown, yellow hide.

Canis latrans.

Avg size: 20-35+ lbs. 4+ ft long w/ tail.

Track L:~2-3 in, W: ~1.5-2.5 in. Domestic dog tracks larger, nails are larger, warped. Outer nails splayed. Less oval.

Habitat generalist. Omnivore. ~Diurnal (nocturnal near humans). May hunt solitary, in pairs, or packs.

Family Canidae

Red fox: White tipped tail. Red coat. Black legs

Vulpes vulpes

Avg size. ~10-15+ lbs. 3-4 ft long w/ tail.

Track L: ~ 1.75 - 2.5 in, W: 1.5- 2 in. (may need gait to distinguish).

Habitat generalist. Omnivore (voles/mice), caches food. Nocturnal. Solitary.

Family Canidae

Grey fox: Black tipped tail. Gray, rusty below

Urocyon cinereo-argenteus

Avg size: <12 lbs. 2.75-3.5 ft long with tail.

Track L:~ 1.5-2 in, W: 1.25-1.75 in. Rear nails may not show.

Prefer woodland habitat & climbs trees. Omnivore, caches food. ~Nocturnal. Solitary.

Family Canidae

Swift Fox: Light, orange-tan. Top is more grey in winter.

Vulpes velox

Avg size: ~5 lbs. <3 ft long with tail.

Not likely.

Grassland.

Canid scat and scrapes.

Both are often used to communicate via pheromones from feet.

More meat=darker, like a twisted rope, tipped end, will see fur/bones/seeds. Coyotes often deposit in middle of trails/edges of territory. Foxes often deposit on prominent areas (rock, mounds).

Scrapes are amorphous and scattered, unlike felines.

Canid Track Patterns

Diagonal Walkers RH-LF-LH-RF. Overstep walk, direct register trot, side trot. Rear feet are black.

Felid vs Canid Tracks

Felid. Asymmetrical (leading toe, 2nd, trailing outside. Ridges don’t make an x, no nails, round outline. Canid. More symmetrical, rides form x/h, nails (though may be small indents.) Canid metacarpal pad chevron shaped, oval outline.

Family Felidae

2 species. Digits. 5(4)-4, digitigrade. Teeth: 3/3,1/1, 2-3/2,1/1. Prominent carnassial pair, last molar tiny, peg-like. Skull. short rostrum, short-rounded skull. Alisphenoid canal absent.

Nocturnal. Territorial, polygamous. Bobcats mate early spring, 3 kits in late spring/summer after ~60 day gestation. Disperse after 8 months. Cougars is year round, longer gestation, longer time to independence.

Family Felidae

Bobcat: Twice the size of a house cat. Short black, bobbed tail, short ear tufts, and spotted, light gray to reddish coat.

Lynx rufus

Avg size: 15-30 + lbs. 2.5-3.5 ft long with tail.

Track L:~ 1.5-2.25 in, W: 1.5-2.5 in.

Habitat generalist, but in areas w/ cover. Carnivore (rabbits, rodents).

Family Felidae

Mountain lion

Puma concolor

Avg size: F: 75-100, M: 125-150 lbs. (Females much smaller). 6-ft long with tail.

Track L:~ 3.5 in, W: 4 in. Big cat…

Habitat generalist, but in areas w/ cover. Carnivore (ungulates and smaller).

Feline scat and scrapes

Scrapes are neater and boxlike.

Scat is segmented and log-like, however will often still have a tipped end.

Feline track pattern

Diagonal Walkers RH-LF-LH-RF. Direct register walk most likely to be seen.

Family Ursidae

5-5, plantigrade. Teeth: 3/3,1/1, 4/4,2/3. No carnassial pair. Premolars tiny, may not be in a found skull.

Medium rostrum, oval skull. Alisphenoid canal present.

Diurnal. Omnivores. Mate in June/July, give birth in winter dens (January). Young stay with mother for 2 yrs (cubs/yearlings). Mature ~5. 2-3 years between breeding.

Family Ursidae

Black bear: Black, blonde & brown, no shoulder hump, pale muzzle.

Ursus americansus

Avg size: F: 100-300, M: 200-600 lbs. (Females much smaller). 5-7 ft tall standing.

Track L:~ 4-6 in, W: 3.5-5.5 in. Hind feet bigger. No straight line behind front toes.

Family Ursidae

Grizzly bear

Ursus arctos

Avg size: F: 250-350, M: 400-600+ lbs. (Females much smaller). 6-8 ft tall standing.

Track L:~ 7 in, W: 5 in. Hind feet bigger.

Bear Scat and Tree markings

Very, very, variable. Honestly, if it looks big and has undigested plant material probably bear.

Bear Track Pattern

Waddlers. Left-left-right-right. Often an over-step walk.

Family Procyonidae

2 species (ring tail not included). Digits. 5-5, plantigrade. Teeth: 3/3,1/1, 4/4, 2/2 (raccoon, varied in other species). No carnassial pair, six upper cheek teeth unlike mephi/musti. Bear-like skull, is small, rostrum shorter than cranial & wide face, oval skull. No alisphenoid canal

Family Procyonidae

Racoon

Procyon lotor

Avg size: 15-25+ lbs. 2-3 ft tall.

Track L:~ 3 in, W: 3 in. Hind feet bigger. Waddler gait.

Largest of the family, very omnivorous eating plant material, inverts, and verts. 10-30 lbs. Scat has blunt ends (unlike dogs/opossums), seeds, often use latrines. Look for plant material to distinguish from cats.

Solitary to sex-specific social behavior. Variable reproduction periods. Late winter, gestate 60 days, 2-5 kits

Family Mustelidae

5 species (4 listed). Digits. 5-5, badger plantigrade, weasels digitigrade. Teeth: 3/3,1/1, 3/3,1/2. Prominent carnassial pair. Skull, is small, blocky, rostrum much shorter than long, flat braincase. C shaped glenoid fossa. Unlike skunks has a dumbbell shaped upper molar and , prominent , long auditory bullae. No alisphenoid canal.

Family Mustelidae

Badger

Powerful burrower, with strong forelimbs and long claws.

Taxidea taxus

Avg size: 15-25+ lbs. 2-3 ft long.

Track L: 2.75, W: 2. Waddler, in a pigeon-toed fashion, so tracks point inward. Long nail imprint. Hind tracks usually no nail imprint.

Den 10-12 in horizontal oval. Breeding late summer, young 2-3 young born in spring.

Family Mustelidae

River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Family Mustelidae

Long-tail and least weasel

Habitat generalists, woods, meadows, often near water.

Mustela frenata & Mustela niva-lis

Avg size: 12-18 in /10 in long.

Track L: ~1, W: <1.

Will have white winter coats.

Family Mustelidae

Mink

Neovison vison

Top aquatic predator, nearly 2-ft long, 2-3 lbs. Diet varies from aquatics to more small mammals in cooler months. Breed in Jan-Mar, 4-7 kits in May.

Only 4 toes appear on hind (sometimes front) tracks.

Mustelid scat

Trail, or territorial boundaries. May form latrines in frequently visited spots.

Mustelid Track Pattern

Bounders. Most species move with a loping gait that produces paired tracks or groups of 4. Pair of front paws together close to pair of rear paws together. The rear tracks are close to, or sometimes cover, the front tracks.

Family Mephitidae

Conepatus leuconotus (shown)

3 species (2 listed). Digits. 5-5. Teeth: 3/3,1/1, 3/3,1/2. No alisphenoid canal. Carnassials developed. Rectangular upper molar and flat auditory bullae.

Family Mephitidae

Striped skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Avg size. <13 lbs. 16-35 inches. Cat sized, front paws kinda look cat-like with long nails and an extra toe. Habitat generalist, prefers edges, Often digs to forage for insects.

Polygamous, mate-Mar/April. 4-8 litter May/June.

Family Mephitidae

Eastern spotted skunk

Spilogale putorius

Much smaller. 10 in body, 7 in tail. Stands on front legs to warn predators.

Skunk scat

Very similar to cats and not very hard.

Skunk Track Pattern

Waddlers, but can have tracks like a loping weasel.. Distinct front and back feet, nails won’t register on hind feet or will be closer to pad than the front. May see tail impression.